Type-writer back-spacing mechanism.



A. C. `ROEBUCK a A. J. PRUSZYNSKI.

TYFE WRITER BACK SPACINGk MECHANISM. APPucATloN r|L'Eo ocT.26,19l4.

Patented Feb. e, 1917.

,gym-wwf United States,

3G f back spacing V'orovements in Type-Writer key lever was actually used f unrrED STATES rnfrmvr onirica AL'VAH C. ROEBCK AND ADOLPH J.

PRUSZYNSKI, 0F WOODSTOGK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN- ORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WOODSTOCK TYPE'WETER COH- ANY, or woonsroon, ILLINOIS, n

CORPORATION Oli' LLNOIS.

TYPE-WRITER BACK-SPACING LECI-IANISM.

Patented Feb. e, 1917.

Application filed October 26, 1914. vSerial No. 868,562.

To all whom mag/ concern.'

Be it known that we, ALVAH C. ROEBUCK and ADoLPH J. PnUsZYNsKI,

residing at Woodstock, in the county of McHenry and State of illinois, have invented certain new and 'useful Im-Y 'd Back-Spacing Mechanism, of which the following is va specification. r This invention rela-tes to mechanism 'for moving a typewriter carriage in a backward direction, and vthe principal. object 'of the present invention is to provide improved mechanism of this class by means of which .the back spacing operation can be accomplished with what is known as a light touch.

For the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of. other new and useful objects, as will appear, the invention consists in the 'features of novelty in the construetion, combination and arrangement of the several parts generally shownin the accomi panying drawing and described in the specication, but more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the drawings, Figure 1A is a side elevation of back spacing mechanism, constructed in accordance with the principles of our invention, standing in the normaler inoperative position; Fig. -2 is a detail view of the dog and operating lever; Fig.

the cam slot lever in operated position, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the back spacing dog in lengagement with the rack bar.

ln mechanism of S is a viewof this class, as previously employed, a considerable portion of the trai/el Aof the key lever was consumed in getting the back spacing dog or pawl into position to engage the rack on the carriage, while but a small portion of travel of the to move the carriagebackward one letter space.- "This resulted in requiring the application of considerable power to the vkey lever for operating the* back spacer and moving theV carriage back ward one letter space, thus giving `what is; known as a heavy touch. In thepresent invention an improved construction and arrangement of 4operating levers is employed by means of which the back spacing dog is moved Vquickly into position to engage 'the rack so'that the greater part of the move`.

citizens oi' the .connection with the tooth 16 of the dog the throat plate which ment of the key lever is used to move the carriage one 'space backward. l

In' the present invention the numeral .6 designates enerally the 'frame of a type-v writer mac ine in which a carriage 7- is transversely movable. Pivotally mounted on the supports 8 in the carriage, isla rack bar 9 which isordinarily in engagement with the escapement mechanism (not shown) but which mayl be disengaged therefrom by means of finger-hold 10 secured to the support 8, the rack bar being held...yieldingly in such engagement by means of a' spring 1v1. Mounted in the frame 6 below the rack bar is a throat plate 5 having an aperture 4,`and pivoted on the frame is an operating lever 12 one arm of which' is formed with spaced projections 13 and 14 and to which arm is pivoted a pawl 15 having a tooth 16 for engaging th teeth of the rack bar 9 through the aperture of the throat plate, a guard edge 17 adj acent and back of the tooth 16 for engaging the rear face of the rack to prevent it from being rotated rearwardly when the tooth 16 is in engagement with the rack, and with an arm 18 which engages the projections 13 and 14 for limiting the movement ot' the dog in. both directions.

-15 and at the other end to the operating lever 12 for holding the dogA yieldingly in projection 14 when it is in operating po 'tion for engaging the rack bar 9. l y v When the le 'er -12 is at rest, 'as shown by Fig. 2, the arm- 18 'of the dog is held in contact with projection 13 by the engagement of the th'roat plate with` the pawl caused by the right hand end of the lever 12, as shown by Fig. 2, being throwjn ,downward by the action of mechanismxcon'nected thereto. As soon as the right hand end of the lever y12 is moved upward the pawl 1s engagement with the end ofl movedout of the aperture 4 of the throat plate, and the spring l19'moves the. arm 18 ofthe dog in engagement with the projection 1 4.A

engages one of the teeth of the rack 9, the guard edge 17 preventin the rotation ofthe rack v9, and the bac spacing movement is continued until the dog 15 strikes the end of the aperture 4 in is Usually of a length Thel aus

to permit a back spacing movement of the rack one letter space. when 'the lever l2 is returned the parts again take the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 2:

Pivotally mounted in the rear of the typewriter frame is n -key lever 2() which has a' portion at its inner end. Secured to the' key lever Q is an anti-friction roller 2S for engaging the slot-` and for moving the lever Q first quickly on account or' the curved portion of the slot and then more, slowly, but continuously, because of the straight poi-tion. The lever 2S extends rear- Wardly to a point adjacent the rear extremity of the key lever and intermediate its ends it is formed with i guide slot or snrface Projecting from the key lever is c stud 80 having a flange which engages the opposite .side of'the lever :26, und by Contact with the right hand side or" the guide slot 29 serves to held the lever 2S in proper )osition with respect to the key lever 2U.

link 3l is 'pivotally connected at one end to tlieoperating lever l2 and is provided with astrid 3Q for engaging in a corresponding perforation .in the rearward eX- tension of the lever QG withn spring clip having a hook at the end for holding the lever 26 separably in connection therewith. The key lever 2G being pivoted at the rear of the typewriter gives it a long leverage and the canil slot beingA near the pivot point of the lever :2G causes the other end'o the lever 2G to be moved a considerable distance with a .correspondingly small movement of the key lever 2O during the initial part of its movement. The key lever is returned to normal position by means of a spring ln operatiom the key lever 20 is depressed by engagement with the key button 21 and the first part of the movement of the key lever causes tlienoller 28 to engage the curved part of the com surface 2"?, whereupon the endof the lever 26, which is connected by means of the link 3l with the operating lever l2, is given quick Inovement so that the tooth 16 of the dog 15 is moved out oi Contact with the throat plete 5 and intoengag'ement with a tooth of the rack bar 9, the dog being rotated' by spring 19 so that the arm 18 is moved from engagement with the projection -13 until it contacts with the projection le, whereupon the guard edge 17 will prevent the. movement? the combination with amova "of aback .feed dog provided with a-guard of the rack bar 9 about its "exis,A ,andthe continued movement of the key lever 20 will canse continuous back spacing movement of the dog and the lever l2 by reason of the straight portion of the slot 27 in the lever 26. The key lever 'Z0 having a. long leverage requires only a quick light touch on. the key button 2l to effect the back spacing movement. The movement of the key lever is limited by the stop E28, the movement of the dog is limited by the aperture of the throat plate, and afterthe back spacing movement of the carriage has been eiected the spring 3l returns 'the key lever to normal position, the dog l5 being'moved out of engagement by its contact with the end of the throat plate aperture.

With this construction about one-third of the movement of the key lever is used to engage the pavvl vviththe rack bar ond the other two-thirds of the movement is used to move the rack bor and the carriage one letter space backward. Gf course this propfn'tion can be varied es desired.

lVhat we claim is:

l. In typewriter back spacing;` mechanisnn the combination with a movablerack bar, of n. back feed dog`r a slotted pleite to hold the dog normally out o-engngement with the rack bar. the dog` being' movable through the plete into position to engage with the teeth oi the ruoli', and mechanism to move the dog quickly through a small portion oi" its travel to engage the rack and to move the dog slowly in the buck spacing direction through the remainder of its travel after engagement with the rack.

2. ln typewriter back spacing` mechanism, the combination with e movable rack bau', of e back feed dog to engage the teeth of the rack zindhavingn projecting arm`r a pivoted lever to which the dog is pivoted having stops to engage the arm of the doggr and limit its movement in both directions, a fixed slotted plate through which the dog extendsy the docr normally engaging; one end of the. slotJ to hold the dog' ourl of engaging position with respect to the rack and in con tact with one of the said'projections, and means for moving the lever to `actuele the dog. l y

3. In typewriter back spacing mechanism, the combination with a movable rack bar, of a back feed dog to engage the teeth of the rack, a pleite with a slot in which the dog moves'n'd engages at one end to hold the dog out or" raokengnging position, means ,for actuating the dogcomprising a pivoted key lever, and means for limiting the movement of the key lever and the dogg"l to one back space, said means comprising a detent on the key leverend a 'fixed projection en gaged thereby.' Y

'4e In typewriter back spacmlmechansm,

e rack bar,

' 15 ing the rack'in the .back spacingdirection,

and. means for actuating the do a pivoted lever with an `irregii 1andakey lever with a "ember and move. the rack in the back spacing for the dog comprising.

. of the key lever for moving spacing directionl y the movement-of the key lever.

edge to engage the face of the rack and with a tooth to engage the teeth of the rack, and means for actuating the dog comprising a lever and an irregular slot engaged by the lever for moving the tooth of the' dog quickly into engagement with the teeth of the rack through a sm'a'.v portion of the travel of the lever and for continuingthe movement of the'dog at a slower speed in the back spacing direction through the re'- mainder and larger part of the travelof the lever.

5: In typewriter the combination with a movable Arack bar, of aback feed dog for engaging and movvcomprising arzcam slot to engage in a portion of the `slot for moving the other leverwitlfa quick initial movement and kin slower continuing movement inthe same -direction. l

6. In typewriter 4back spacing mechanism, the combination with a movable rack bar, of a back feed dog adapted to engadge 1- -rection, and means a lever having a cam slotfand a key' lever having -a roller in engagement with the slot whereby the continued movement of thekey vlever in one direction will cause the roller to .engage and move the other leven quickly during the initial portion ofthe movement the dog quickly into engagement with therack and continu- 4ingthe engagement with the cam slot for moving the dog and the rack in the back 7. In typewriter back' spacing mechanism, the combination with a movable rack bar, of a bar, means foractuating the dog comprising a lever formed with an operatingcam slot and a guiding surface, a key lever, a'cony tact roller in vconnection with the key lever for engaging .the cam slot of the other lever, and a stud'in connection with the key lever for engaging the, said surface of the lever for guiding it in its operating movement.

8. In typewriting back spacing -mechapivnism, the combination with a .rack bar oted to swing about Va longitudinal axis, and

i y, Copies of this patent may be obtained for movable longitudinally, Vvided with an arm, an .operating lever for back 'spacing mechanism,

effect the rack bar.

during the remainder ofV lever, the iange of back spacing dog for engaging the v five cents each, by addressinthe Washington, D. C.

a back feed dog prothe dog comprising projections for limiting the movement of the dog in both directions, a spring attached at one'end to the lever vand at the other end to the'dog forl moving Y 7 it against one another lever pivoted at right ofthe limiting projections, formed with a cam slot and angles to the operating lever, a link connecting the two levers, and

a'pivoted key llever with a roller for engagin g the cam slot ofthe said other lever^for communicating a quicklinitial movement to the operating lever whereby the dog is moved uicklyin contact with the rack bar and ist en moved in the samedirection to back spacing `movement. of the 9; In typewriter back 'spacing mechanism,

lthe combination` with a frame,vofa key lever pivotejd adjacent thevv rear of the frame and extending to the oted intermediate lever and the front.

the pivot point of the key thereof and havingan operating cam slot adj aoent its pivot point,V

vmeans in connection with the key lever to engage the cam slot of the `other-lever for moving thelatter at {irst witha quick movement and movable lrack bar, a back spacing dog for engaging the rack banaandmeans vto connect the dog with the slotted lever for back spacin movement withthe' rack bar.

10.- n typewriter backlspacing mechani'sin,'the combination with al movable rack bar, of a back spacing-dog. for engaging the bar, means for actuating'the dog comprising a l contaet member in connection with the key lever for engaging the cam a flanged stud guide surface, a key lever,

in connection with the key which engages the opposite face of the lever adjacent the guide surface for holding, the lever in position with respect to the key lever and for operating it. In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the-presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 22nd day ofl'October A. D. 1914. i ALVAH C. ROEBUCK.

ADOLPH J. PRUSZYNSKI. Witnessesz.-i

LTE. HOUSHOLDER, J. F. SWAHTsnEaT.

KCommissioner of Patents;

then with a slower movement, a-

slot of the other lever, and,

front thereof, a lever pivajlever havingan'operating cam slot and a 

